Figure having an associated spray of liquid simulating wearing apparel



March 11, 1969 K. w. BONIECKI ETAL 3,432,099

FIGURE HAVING AN ASSOCIATED SPRAY OF LIQUID SIMULATING WEARING APPARELFiled Feb. 20, 1967 V l// I 1/1/11 INVENTORS KRYSTYNA w HON/E00 MAR/AALB/N EON/E00 United States Patent 3,432,099 FIGURE HAVING AN ASSOCIATEDSPRAY 0F LIQUID SIMULATING WEARING APPAREL Krystyna W. Boniecki andMaria Albin Boniecki, both of 1822 S. Sherman St, Denver, Colo. 80210Filed Feb. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 617,154 U.S. Cl. 239-18 10 Claims Int. Cl.Bb 1/14, 17/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decorative fountain having afigure, which may be a threedimensional statue, high or low or baserelief, medallion, picture or the like, has liquid spray openingslocated at different levels and locations of the figure body, providinga spray of liquid assuming the shape of wearing apparel, such as agarment, a dress or a portion of a garment for the figure. In one formthe figure is a representation of a human female and has openings atabout the level of the waist of the figure to provide a flow of liquidwhich has the appearance of a skirt for the figure. In another form,spray openings located above the chest will form a spray of liquidhaving the appearance of a full dress for the figure. The spray ofliquid may be made as a series of small jets, a full peripheral sheet ofliquid flowing from the figure, or animated jets such as formed by arotary sprinkler. In each instance, a spray of liquid in a differentshape and form of Wearing apparel is provided for the figure. Indarkened areas colored lights effectively and dramatically show up thewater apparel for the statue, magically transforming the configurationof the figure.

Included among the objects and advantages of the invention is to providea decorative fountain having a figure or statue with a spray of liquidrepresenting wearing apparel or portion thereof such as is worn by humanbeings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a figure or statue ofhuman form having a spray pattern of a liquid formed integrally with thefigure, and the spray having the appearance of wearing apparel such as adress or a portion of a dress.

Another object of the invention is to provide a figure representing ahuman female figure provided with spray openings at dilferent positionson the figure body to provide different sizes and shapes of wearingapparel formed of a spray of the liquid, representing differentfashions, diiferent styles and different epochs of time.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a figure of ahuman body arranged with a spray of liquid from different levels forminga spray of liquid in the shape of a dress for the figure, and the figuremay be rep:- resented by a three-dimensional statue, high or low relief,or similar decorative media representing the human form.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a figure of a humanform provided with a spray of a liquid from various locations on thefigure, representing wearing apparel for the figure, with the spraybeing a full peripheral spray or a portion thereof repersenting sometype of wearing apparel and forming a total composition with the figure.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readilyascertained by referring to the following description and appandedillustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention illustrating astatue of the human female form, with a liquid skirt and shawl formed ofsprays of liquid from the figure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation of a figure of the human female formutilizing a sheet of liquid forming a skirt therefor;

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational view of a figure according to theinvention mounted in a fountain trough or catch basin, shown in section,provided with a pump for continuously providing a spray of liquidforming a skirt for the figure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view of a statue illustrating ananimated liquid spray forming a different configuration of a skirt forthe figure;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a figure at the waistlevel, illustrating one form of spray arrangement for forming a skirtfor the figure;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 5, taken along section line 6-6,showing the spray arrangement for the figure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a figure, taken at aboutthe waist level, illustrating another spray arrangement for forming asheet of liquid for a skirt;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-section taken at about the waist of afigure, illustrating a pair of rotative sprayers for forming an animatedliquid skirt for a figure;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the mechanism of FIG. 8, showing arotary spray arrangement; and

FIG. 10 illustrates the use of a figure as a frieze or base relief formounting on a wall, with a catch basin and pump providing a continuousspray of circulating liquid therefor.

In general, the invention includes a figure, in one preferred form thatof a human female, normally in standing position in any desired pose,and provided with a supply line for liquid extending to at least onespray opening associated with the figure which may be at the waist, theshoulders or other location for providing a stream of liquid to thesprayers, forming a spray having the appearance of wearing apparel, suchas a dress, a skirt, a portion of a dress or other wearing apparel forthe figure formed of a spray of the liquid. The liquid may be clearwater, colored water, or other liquid for forming the costume or dressor portion of dress. .As is conventional with many types of fountains, acatch basin may be provided around the statue to catch the spray fromthe fountain. A pump, normally an electric pump, provides continuouscirculation of the liquid from the catch basin to the figure and formingthe spray. Thus, the figure of the invention may be provided with arecirculating system for the liquid or may be provided with a directconnection to a water or other liquid line. From an aesthetic standpointthe liquid supply line should normally pass internally of the figure tothe spray area; however, the concept of the invention includes anexternal line to an external spray area, for example, a supply linerepresenting a belt around the waist of the figure with the sprayissuing from orifices in the belt peripherally thereof. Obviously, theinvention contemplates exterior fountains as well as interior fountains.Various types of lighting dramatically highlight the liquid apparel orportion of a dress for the figure. Additionally, the figure mayrepresent a nude, a partially dressed or fully dressed human, with thespray still providing a dramatic transformation of the figure by theliquid dress.

As shown in FIG. 1 a statue or figure, shown in general by numeral 10,of a female is provided with a ballet costume consisting of an upperportion 12 and a small skirt 14. A spray arrangement, illustrated ingeneral by numeral 16, provides a spray of liquid 18 peripherally of thewaist of the figure, forming a flowing skirt thereof. The figure isstanding on a base or pedestal 20. A series of spray jets form a stoleor shawl for the figure. The figure of FIG. 1 is shown with a pluralityof orifices at the waist forming the spray for the skirt, and amechanism for forming the same is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. A liquidline 22 extends through a leg and torso of the figure to an internalchamber 23 in a connector portion at the waist of the figure. Aplurality of small tubes 24 extend through the connector 25 at the torsoof the figure to provide the spray of liquid from the chamber. Thenumber of the tubes providing spray is determined by the shape or thesize of the skirt desired. When water or other liquid is forced throughthe supply line 22 into the chamber 23 it issues as a plurality of sprayjets from the orifices in the tubes 24. Where a catch basin andcirculating pump is provided, a pulsating pump may be used to provide ananimated skirt continuously moving with the pulsations of the pump. Theskirt may be made to appear to be formed of a series of drops or stripsof water issuing from the spray jets by means of lighting. The pressureof the liquid may be adjusted to change the shape and the size of theskirt. Additionally, the spray jets or outlet tubes at the waist of thefigure may be turned slightly upwardly to change the shape of the skirt.Further, the size and shape of the openings in the tubes may be variedto pro a duce different designs of the liquid drops.

As shown in FIG. 2, a figure is provided with a skirt 31 formed of asheet of water issuing from the waist of the figure. The mechanism forthis arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein the torso of thefigure is formed of two parts at the waist. A lower part 33 is mountedon a hip portion 35 of the statue and it is provided with an arcuate top36. A stud or bolt 37 extends through the part 33 and threadedly engagesthe upper part 34. The upper part 34 has an arcuate bottom 38 to providea chamber between the two parts. A rubber grommet 3h is mounted aroundthe rod 37 and provides means for adjusting an opening 40 which extendsperipherally around the waist of the statuette. A supply line 41 whichmay extend through a leg of the statuette communicates with the chamber38, providing means for supplying liquid to the chamber which issues asa sheet out of the peripheral opening 40. The opening may be adjusted toconform with the pressure and volume of liquid in the chamber betweenthe two parts. The direction of the issuing liquid from the opening iscontrolled by the geometry of the surfaces forming the opening, therebydirecting the liquid downwardly, outwardly or upwardly as desired.

In FIG. 4 a statuette is provided with a double layer, animated skirt 51formed by rotative sprayers, the mechanism of which is illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 9. A lower torso portion 52 of a statue is connected to anupper torso portion 50 by means of a sprayer mechanism which is arrangedin two levels and includes rotative jets. A supply line 53 extendsthrough a leg of the statue and is in communication with a manifoldchamber 54. A lower rotative disc 55 having a pair of opposed directedjet tubes 56 communicates with the manifold 54 and liquid passing fromthe manifold through the jet tubes 56 exhaust at substantially highvelocity, giving a rotative movement thereto as indicated by the arrow.An upper disc 58 having a pair of opposed tubes 59 each of which extendsoutwardly and has a 90 outlet which provide a rotative action indicatedby the arrows in FIG. 9 as liquid passing from the manifold through thetubes exhausts through the outlets. Thus, a two-level animated skirt isformed having a crossing spiral effect. Obviously, two or more levelsmay be provided, depending upon the desires of the maker. Additionally,the effect may be completely changed by providing a single rotativesprayer combined with a straight spray arrangement, with the rotativesprayer either above or below the other, forming a different pattern forthe skirt of the model.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a *figure shown in general by numeral ismounted in a catch basin 66. The basin 66 is provided with opaque sides67 and a transparent or at least translucent bottom 68. A plurality ofspotlights or lamps 69 may be provided under the bottom 68 for shiningup through liquid in the catch basin toward the figure. The lamps may bespotlights with changing colors or may be a series of colored spotlightsarranged to be turned off and on to change the color of the spray ofliquid from the figure. A recirculating pump 70, indicated as anelectrical pump, having a lead wire 72 to a standard two-prong outlet73, provides means for recirculating the liquid from the catch basinthrough the figure. An interesting innovation is to provide differentcolors for the dress of the figure related to changes in the weather,even connected with a barometer to change the colors automatically.Thus, different colors of the lights would indicate different weatherconditions. The figure is provided with a spray pattern 74 in the shapeof a skirt, and a spray pattern 75 forming plumage for a hat 76.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, a base relief or frieze is attached to a wall81 in conventional fashion; however, a catch basin 82 is provided belowthe figure, and a pump 83 with an electric lead 84 provides forrecirculating the liquid from the catch basin through the figure toprovide a recirculated flow for forming the skirt for the figure. Thus,when only a portion of the figure is represented, a dress or otherwearing apparel for the figure may still be provided in a similarmanner, using less than a full peripheral shape for the spray, or usingonly a spray forming an outline of the wearing apparel.

While the invention has been illustrated by reference to a particularembodiment, there is no intent to limit the spirit or the scope of theinvention to the precise details so set forth except as defined in thefollowing claims.

We claim:

1. A decorative fountain figure simulating a human form having; liquidoutlet means formed with said figure at a position to direct a spray ofliquid therefrom, said spray being directed from said figure andsimulating a garment of human wearing apparel; and means for supplyingliquid to said liquid outlet means.

2. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 1 wherein said figurerepresents a human female form and said liquid outlet means ispositioned at about the waist of said figure and arranged to simulate askirt therefor.

3. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 2 wherein said liquidoutlet means is a series of closely spaced outlets for spraying liquidoutwardly peripherally at about the waist of said figure simulating afull skirt therefor.

4. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 2 wherein said liquidoutlet means is a peripheral slit at about the waist of the figure forforming a peripheral sheet of liquid directed outwardly from the figureand simulating a skirt formed of a sheet of falling liquid.

5. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 2 wherein said liquidoutlet means is at least a pair of outlets spaced at different levels,and of said pair of outlets is a rotary sprayer, whereby liquid issuingfrom said sprayers forms at least two layers of sprays, simulating amulti-layer skirt for said figure.

6. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 2 wherein said liquidoutlet means is a pair of rotatable sprayers mounted one above the otherat about the waist of said figure, whereby liquid issuing from saidsprayers forms two layers of rotating sprays simulating a multilayer,animated skirt for said figure.

7. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 1 wherein said liquidoutlet means is a series of outlets arranged at different levels on saidstatue forming a plurality of sprays of liquid simulating dilferentgarments of Wearing apparel for said statue from different levels.

8. A decorative fountain ifigure according to claim 1 wherein saidfigure is mounted in a catch basin, and pump means recirculates a liquidfor a continuous spray.

9. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 1 wherein said liquidis water, and colored lights mounted adjacent said figure are arrangedto shine on said spray of liquid for changing the color of the simulatedwearing apparel.

10. A decorative fountain figure according to claim 1 wherein saidfigure is a base relief and said spray of liquid extends from side toside forming less than a complete peripheral article of wearing apparel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 156,979 11/1874 Burton 239--17428,365 5/ 1390 Baillairge 239-18 5 636,803 11/1899 Hollingsworth 239171,952,353 3/1934 Barclay- 239--20 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

10 U.S. Cl. X.R.

